Spiral chute.



PATENTE) APR. 10, 190B.

M. C. SCHWAB.

SPIRAL CHUTE.

WTNESSES:

iunn'rnr C. sCHvvnB, OF'eALriMOanMAnrLANn, AssicNOs TO eRvirr Conversa COMPANY, or NEW reak., n. r., A. CORPORATION or NEW Togall whom it may concern:

'y reen'. y

Y Be it known that l, MARTIN (l. SCHWAB, a

'vented certain new and usefu in 'Spiral Chutes, of which the fo .owing is a citizen of thellnited States, residin at Baltimore,1n the State of Maryland, ave in-4 lrn rovements specification.

rlhis invention relates to spiral chutes, such .as are used for packageconveycrs, and-incre novel construction and arrangement of arts especially to the construction of the chutes, its purpose being to simplify and cheapen the lconstruction of chutes of this character.,

A further object is toprovide means for different kinds offparcels se arate 'klimt w e t ey are being conveyed throng such chute.

'lov this end this invention consists in the herein described, and speciiicallypointe out in claims.

Refs 'ng to the drawings, Fi e 1 is a sec- 'tional side elevation of a spiral c, ute comprising myinvention. i Fig. 2 a sectional planl view of the saine, the section being takenv through the line A B of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 ande are detail views of certain parts used in the,y construction of "a chute made according. to'

the presentinvention. Fig. 5 is asectional elevation of apart of' a chute, showing a modiheation of my invention. y f

Like hgures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

' i shell 1 1 which aord communication between the oors of a building and the chute. 42 and 52 designate doors arranged to cover these openings when they are not in use. The door 42 is shown in its raised or open osition, while the door 52' is shown in its c osed position. The openings 41 and 51 are referably above the level 'of the s iral itse so that the will not interfere wit the passage of'parces which may pass by them in the Chute and, as shown, are provided with in- Specification of Letters Patent, Application mea nach 23,1904. sain No. laatse.

Seminaren-iure..

Patented April 10, 1906.

clined shelvesl?)v and 53 for facilitating the putting of packages into the chute. The inclined shel (shown at 33) is attached to the livrrn sTATEs N-referir arrechino'n.

lower end of the spiral and is for the urpose of conveying packages yfrom the spira to the floor 30;

lf desired, the outer'shell 11`Ina be carried down below the lower end of t e spiral,

as shown in Fig. 1. As shown in this figure,

the outer shell 11 is carried down to the basement 2 0 ofthe building, and as the spiral ends -at floor 30 a chamber is thus formed. A n

opening 21 may be provided in the outer shell 11, and, 4if desired, this opening may be provided with a door for closing it.

- Gravity-conveyers of this kind are in common use. The purpose of this invention. is to provide a novell way of constructing them,

simplify their manufacture and lessen the cost of making them. A further object of this invention is to increase their efficiency by dividing the spiral itself into two parts, so

which is shown herein and which will greatly that packa es of different charactermay be transmitte through it at the same time.

The first of these objects l obtain by constructing the spiral of a number of plates 14, suchas are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. These plates may be madein any desired Way, as y casting them of metal or pressing them into shape, and are provided with lugs or pcrjections 15 and'l, which have holes in t adapted to receive rivets or bolts. These plates are made of a proper width'to fit the inner ocre 13 and the outer shell 11 and are attached to the core and to the shell by means of rivets or bolts. Their edges are provided with lips 17, so arranged that the upper lip of one' late will lit into the under li of the succee ing plate, so that they winterlock. This construction is clearly shown in Fig. 1, where, as shown at O in the drawings, just b elow the floor 50 one of the plates has not yet been put in place. These lates are desi ed to have theproper. 'itc for the spiral, which pitch of course may e more or less, according to the design and purpose of the chute. The plates may be made up in quantities and are easil handled in shipment. They may be read' y attached to the core and outer shell of the chute either While the latter are being erected or before or after that time. With this construction it is possible IOO - above it.

form their own inner core. So, too, could the outer side of the plates be made of the proper shape to form the outer shell of the chute.

.f This latter I have not shown, as I consider it v used forpackages of a miscellaneous characa poor construction. Fig. 5 shows in section a part of a chute made without an inner core.

A further object of this invention is to in crease the efficiency of the chute by dividing it into parallel parts. This may be done by Imaking the plates` 14, as shown in Fig. ,With a rib or ribs 18 intermediate their sides. The lower part of the chute (shown in Fig. l) .is made of plates having these ribs. This p'fa t v.ofthe chute is constructed in this way and has the advantage of having two or more separate paths for conveying packages. As shown, it is divided into two such paths. This is a desirable feature when the chute is ter, as,for example, it Would-be if used'in a department-store. In such a case packages may be conveyed on another of a very delicate or fragile nature would often be conveyed through the chute at thesame time that heavy packages were being so conveyed, and this would put those of a more delicate or fragile nature in great danger' of breakage. However, if the chute is divided, as herein shown and described, the heavierv ackages may be conveyed -on one part of t e chute, while the more fragile ones art of the chute. When a chute is thus ivided, the inclined shelf 33 may also be divided by a rib or ribs similar to i8 of the spiral and may be arranged to separate the heavy and the light packages as they are emptied upon the floor 30.

I do not confine myself to the use of the plates '1.1i with their .ribs I8 for dividing the conveying-surface of the chute into parallel paths, as any other means may be employed for accomplishin this end.

Having descri. ed my invention, what I claim is- .1.: In a spiral chute, the combination of an outer shell, and a spiral having a continuous surface and being composed of formed plates attached'to the outer shell, said plates being provided Witha raised portion on their upper p side.

2. In a spiral chute, the combination of an outer shell, and a s nal composed of formed plates attached tot e outershell, said plates Thus, in effect, the plates would einen being provided with a raised portion on their upper side to havea plurality of conveyingsurfaces.

3. In a spiral chute, the combination of an outer shell, an inner core and a spiral composed of formed interlocking plates attached to the outer shell and yto the inner core.

4. In a chute, a conveying-spiral having its surface divided into parallel paths.

5. In a spiral chute, a conveying-spiral, and a rib to divide the spiral surface into parallel paths. y

6. In a spiral chute, the combination of an outer shell, a spiral composed of formed plates attached to the shell, said plates being provided with ribs 'or th, ir conveying-surfaces.

7. In aspiral chute, the combination of an outer shell, an inner shell, and a spiral composed of formed interlocking plates attached to the outer shell and to the inner shell, the

surface of said spiral being divided into parformed plates with interlockinglips, and

rib on said plates to divide the spiral .surface into parallel paths. Y

9. In a gravity-conveyor, the combination ,with a tubular shaft provided with an intakeopening, a spiral, an inner core, a landing at said opening, and an inclined shelf adjoining the lower portion of said opening above the spiral surface.

` 10. As an article of manufacture, a plate arran ed to form a portion of a spiral, and iuterloc ing means for said plate.

11. As an article of manufacture, a plate of a shape conforming to a spiral, interlockrooA ing lips on said plate, and means for attachment to a suitable support.

l2. As an article of manufacture, a plate havingfa surface to form a section of a spiral of a gravity-conveyer, ribs attached to said plate on said surface to divide the spiral into two parallel paths.

i3. .fis an article of manufacture, a plate formed for a section of a spiral of a gravityconveyei', a rib attached to its inner end and arranged to form a portion of the support for the spiral, and securing means for said rib.

,1a. As an article of manufacture, a plate arranged-to forni a section lof a spiral of a gravityconveyer, interlocking lips at the edges of said plate, and means at the ends of said plate for securing the Asaine to suitable supports.l

15. As an article of manufacture, a plate arranged to form a portion of a spiral of a gravity conveyer, interlocking lips atthe edges of said plate, means at the ends of said plate for attaching the same to suitable supports, and a rib on said plate to divide the spiral surfaeeinto parallel paths.

@mi l 16. As an firticle of manufactura, a, plate l name boihis specification im the presence of i arranged to form a, potion. of a spiral of a, gravity conveyer, interlocking li s at' the @dges of said plate, and means at tf1@ ends of 5 said plates for attachment oi the same to the Witnesses:

outer shell und inner core of the convoyeur. HENRY E. Kimm,

In teslpimony whereof l have signed my 1 WALTER STRANG MAR'iiN C. SGHTVVAB'fA 

